Eclipse
by IamHazeldaughterofPluto
Summary: Eclipse, Twilight, Icicle, and Grey. Four pups that, to the untrained eye, seem ordinary. Yet a single decision from any one of them can change the fate of all the packs. Romance/comedy/adventure This story has nothing to do with Wolves of the Beyond, I just wanted to post it. :3 Enjoy! (Note: Not as serious as summary may seem.)


**Wolf Pack**

Lone Wolf

(revised)

Prologue

Long ago, when wolves roamed all over the world, the men didn't hunt them, and prey was rich, the ten Great Packs came to be. They lived in peace for centuries, until the men decided they were a nuisance and started hunting them for their meat, pelts, and bones. This went on for two decades, until five packs remained.

They held a meeting and decided to move to the only place they could be safe, Alaska. They were in Canada at the time, a very dangerous place because of the Hunters. There were more there than any other place. The Packs traveled by night, and slept by day. They sheltered anywhere they could, caves, bushes, and the odd hole. Mothers had to carry their cubs for miles without rest. After two seasons' journey, they arrived.

It was a cold and barren place, not at all what they expected. Some cub-mothers cried out in shock. "What will happen to my cubs?" one cried. "We will all surely die!" exclaimed another. In the next season The Pack of White Ice died out. During the Mourning of the packs, they had not thought of what they would do to keep themselves alive. To many it seemed impossible to learn new hunting skills and to learn how to fight enemies here! But they all spread out anyway to find territories to support themselves.

The Pack of Rushing Water lived by the ocean, The Pack of Lurking Shadows found dark forestland to fit their needs, The Pack of Fading Echoes found mountain land, and The Pack of Great Stones found a forest with a valley in the middle that had huge stones! They settled and for many years everything was fine. Then, one day in the late spring, the ice started to melt. The Pack of Rushing Water's camp broke off, and they floated out to sea! The other packs watched the water for months, but finally, they gave up. The Pack of Rushing Water would never come back.

Over time, the packs realized that they had to start taking care of themselves, so they sent scouts to explore their territories and find prey, herbs, and sheltered spots for bases, so if a wolf was caught in a storm while hunting they could find shelter fast. As was the life of the three Great Packs, until four very special pups were born, pups that would change the course of history.

CHAPTER ONE

If one came to Alaska, they would surely expect it to be a barren wasteland, save for the small areas inhabited by man. They would be wrong. Most of Alaska is already ripped and soiled by man, leaving wildlife to collect their bearings in mans' front yard. Man hunted and hunted until the beautiful pelts of hundreds, if not thousands, of animals hung by their doors. They polluted the waters that wildlife drank out of.

But there is one place, a place where animals can roam free without the constant fear of being hunted. It lay beyond a small group of mountains, far into the Alaskan wilderness. Even those mountains, called The Small Tops by the animals, were hesitantly inhabited by wolves, caribou, hares, and other small, but tough, animals. Beyond Small Tops, there lay thick forests, shining valleys, golden grasslands, sparkling lakes, rushing rivers, and a few tundras.

Of course, this is your view of them in the summer. These beautiful sights are covered in glittering snow most of the time. It was one of those gorgeous summer months when the story you are about to hear took place. One of the beautiful valleys had a unique mutation. It had large stones, about four to five feet tall dotted around the landscape. The Valley of Stones (as it was called) and the surrounding forest was the territory of fittingly named Pack of Great Stones.

In a secluded cave in the midst of these majestic trees, one could hear the quiet whimpers of tiny newborn wolves. If you decided to investigate this sound, you would find an old fox burrow, hollowed out to accommodate the size of a mother and her pups. The mother was gazing fondly at the four little bundles at her belly. She pricked her ears at the sound of approaching footsteps, alert for any danger, as to protect her pups.

The footsteps got increasingly louder, and the mother scrambled to hush her pups. She strained her ears, and soon realized that there was more than one pair of footsteps. As far as she could tell, there were only three. In the case that they were wolves from her pack, this was a good thing. They would follow the rules which forbade them from entering her birthing hollow, and would rush to alert the pack. Only her mate and a female beta of her choice were allowed to enter, and only at her permission.

The steps drew closer, and slowed in pace as they approached. Excited whimpers and squeals, much like her pups, reached her ears.

"Starlight…?"

Her mate's gentle voice flitted down from the glade surrounding her cave, straight to her relieved and welcoming ears. The pups at her stomach pricked their ears and searched for their father in vain with their blind eyes. Starlight reached down to gently lick them, and the pups settled back into a neat row of fur and ears.

"Yes Midnight, I'm here." She said just loud enough for her black mate to catch it. She gazed fondly from her pups to the entrance of her den, waiting for her nervous spouse to find her. Of course, with the heavy scent of milk in the air, it wouldn't take him long.

Sure enough, she saw a dark muzzle poke its way into her little safe haven.

"Found you!" Midnight growled playfully.

"I can see that." Starlight said dryly.

"May I come in?

"Who's with you?"

"Bird and Leaf…"

"Send Leaf away, you and Bird may come in." She watched as her mate dipped his head respectfully and left the entrance of the cave to fetch Bird. She could faintly hear Leaf protesting before her pups whimpers drowned out the sound. She could feel them starting to shiver against her fur, so she curled more tightly around them, and the shivers ceased.

"Oh, my beautiful pups…" she murmured dreamily.


End file.
